Dusk
by Kikuonna
Summary: This general story features the Akatsuki and begins around the start of Shippuden. It follows an alternate time line after. It involves romance and feral free roaming original characters who respond poorly to being called Mary Sues. It's rated for later.
1. Chapter 1: Dear

_Dear Deidara,_

Haruko almost broke her quill as she emphatically crossed out the word dear. The paper tore beneath the tip, and she threw it away, reaching for another sheet.

She had to swallow the lump that was building in her throat. In this small inn room, she felt claustrophobic, smothered by the intimate lighting and the sounds of her nephew and niece breathing. She looked at Akio and Tsukiko where they slept, huddled in bed together. The little boy's golden blond hair was tangled with his twin sister's own. It was just like Deidara's.

Haruko took a couple deep breaths for control. She began to write again, fighting to be detailed, but distant.

_Deidara,_

_I apologize for my absence and that of my sister and your children with her. I regret..._

She almost broke her quill again. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she finished the sentence mentally. ( I regret that we met you. I regret that we both fell in love with you. I regret that she won your heart. I regret that I hated her for it. I regret... )

She realized she was crying when the first tears splashed to the paper. She pressed her lips in a thin, firm line to muffle the noise she wanted to make. She squeezed her stinging eyes shut till her brow hurt from the tight knit it had adopted.

It was liberating to acknowledge her emotional instability right now. She was angry, sad and scared, and she was living for one purpose: two children. The twins were four years old and fathered by a member of the Akatsuki. She couldn't give up for their sakes.

She discarded the formal letter and selected a third sheet of paper. She thought, ( Natsumi, help me... ), and then wrote.

_Dear Deidara,_

_As you know, something has happened. I know you've already been to our former inn, because you never missed a chance to take Akio and Tsukiko to the Summer Festival. It was kind of funny. Of anniversaries, birthdays and holidays, nothing brought you back to us like night after night of fireworks._

_A group of ninja from Suna came to call about a week ago. They wanted to stay throughout the Summer Festival for security related reasons. Natsumi said we were booked solid._

_She was never good at lying, was she? Nor acting. I'll always remember the first and only play she tried out for with fondness and laughter. I'll remember everything about her with love._

_There's no easy way I can tell you this. Natsumi is dead. She died resisting apprehension by them for interrogation. You probably saw our inn crawling with them when you arrived, or maybe worse. I'll pray for your safety if I can locate a shrine._

_We're on an adventure. At least that's what I told Akio and Tsukiko. We're traveling to Kusa no Kuni where I've had an offer for work. I've always been the most formal of my family, and that should serve me well._

_Let's make a promise to each other. You promise you won't blame yourself for her death, and I'll do the same. We couldn't keep your involvement a secret forever, but you should've seen how excited she'd get when the season began to change and the temperatures climbed. I couldn't have saved her, so slipping out with Akio and Tsukiko was the best thing I could've done._

_Please visit the three of us in the garden. We'll wait there, separated from the troubles of the world of men._

_Haruko_

She folded the paper and moved to slide it discreetly behind the mirror in the tiny bathroom, avoiding the teary eyes of the young woman in the mirror with her raven hair and sun bronzed skin. Her trembling fingers knocked a vial of bathing oil from the counter that she never cleaned up before crawling into the unoccupied bed. It was time to sleep away the fleeting hours before she could continue to her new home.


	2. Chapter 2: Smile

**A/N:** This chapter is short because I intend to separate explicit and non-explicit content. I use a few terms that aren't common knowledge, so here are their relevant definitions:

Tayuu: Courtesan  
Kamuro: Courtesan-in-Training  
Koibito: Lover

* * *

"Koe no Haruko?" Miyuki asked, her delicate brows furrowing in thought.

Nadeshiko glanced back at the woman in question, tilting her head. She wondered how Haruko was going to paint her face. Most of the tayuu applied a layer of tasteful white, but this woman had a deep golden brown complexion. That'd look awful. Then again, she supposed Haruko wouldn't begin as a tayuu. She didn't look much older than Nadeshiko herself.

Miyuki, of course, was interested in more practical things. "Are you from Suna?"

Nadeshiko blinked, glancing at her teacher. It'd explain the dusky skin, she supposed, yet she couldn't find anything else to support the conclusion.

"Around Suna," Haruko replied, looking uncomfortable.

Miyuki was always right!... unless she was arguing with Ayae, who was really just amazingly persuasive. Nadeshiko didn't think she'd ever understand why the customers preferred Ayae to Miyuki. She was too good to be true. Although she was beautiful enough to be considered perfect, Nadeshiko found her eerie.

Miyuki, on the other hand, was a lovely woman with rare indigo tresses. Though she was rather sharp-featured and slim, her smiles could light her face and brighten the moods of people around her. Nadeshiko was happy to be her kamuro.

"Miyuki-sama, whose kamuro will Haruko-san be?" She asked. Haruko reminded her of Miyuki, only sad. Nadeshiko looked over the children accompanying the woman, noting their complexions to be quite a bit lighter. She doubted they were Haruko's, because everything about her was dark, and everything about them was not.

"Ayae-sama's." Miyuki didn't hide the concern in her voice well, averting her frosty blue eyes slightly. They were quick to focus on something past Haruko's shoulder, and Nadeshiko followed their gaze.

It was early for customers to arrive, but here were two men she hadn't seen before. Maybe this was their first time hiring tayuu, because both were looking everywhere except the throng of women. Haruko turned halfway before freezing a little. Nadeshiko was stopped from moving forward by Miyuki's outstretched arm.

She studied them more closely. Although the bigger man was armed, the house received many warriors, so she guessed it was his blue skin and the odd marks on his cheeks. The smaller man was creepier, because his expression reminded her of Ayae's. The black cloaks they wore matched perfectly, yet the swirling red clouds that patterned them didn't resemble any crest she'd ever seen. Maybe they were dancers.

"Nadeshiko-chan, please take Haruko-san, Akio-kun and Tsukiko-chan to their room." Nadeshiko started when Miyuki spoke again. The children had names? She bowed briefly before beginning to comply, but she still caught a glimpse of the tall man's face as her teacher smiled at him. She could barely suppress a giggle. He looked surprised and then wary, like he couldn't believe Miyuki'd actually smile at him.

Nadeshiko knew Miyuki never faked a smile, though.

* * *

"Is something wrong, Haruko-san?" The young brunette's voice barely registered through the whirlwind of Haruko's thoughts. 

Is something wrong?

Haruko shook her head vehemently, but she couldn't help thinking, ( Oh, no. Nothing's wrong. It's just convenient. ) Deidara had never brought his partner on his visits, so she doubted he told the other Akatsuki members about his relationship with Natsumi.

"Daddy wore a cloak like that whenever he came to see us." The information Tsukiko proudly shared with their guide quickly brought Haruko's attention back to the conversation. She began to snap at her niece, yet stopped as the teenager replied.

"Your father's a dancer?"

Haruko almost laughed at the intense look on the little blonde's face as she retorted, "That's what Mommy said, but I don't think they're allowed to like girls. I think he's really an artist."

She murmured as the door to their room was opened, "Yes, Tsukiko-chan, he's an artist."

* * *

"Sakurai Miyuki," Miyuki supplied again, drawing out each syllable. Where the man who introduced himself as Uchiha Itachi had been able to address her by her name as soon as she gave it, this Hoshigaki Kisame fellow was either dense or an asshole. She wasn't sure which, but she had been called 'What was that?' and 'Sakura Mizuki' already. Her answer was coming. 

"Kozakura Mikazuki, then," he said, grinning toothily.

Miyuki felt agitation building, and with it, tension. Tension wasn't becoming for a tayuu like her. She took a couple breaths to steady herself, and then addressed Itachi. "Itachi-dono, Ayae-san doesn't accept multiple customers at any time. The money of your partner will not be turned down, however. I'll accept his company tonight." She took great satisfaction in the startled look on Kisame's face.

"Of course, Miyuki-san," Itachi deadpanned with a smooth bow, disregarding the opening and closing of his partner's mouth. "I'm sure Kisame-san finds your offer pleasing."

She had known there was more to these men than there appeared to be. Kisame looked appalled, for lack of a better word, and Itachi was favoring him with a stern glance.

Although it wasn't the first time Ayae had received unique guests, it wasn't Miyuki's business, either. She let her lashes settle low upon her eyes and breathed, "Follow me, Koibito."

She could see the dismay in Kisame's expression yielding to horror as she turned to approach the front door.

* * *

Itachi watched as Miyuki led Kisame away, briefly wondering if his partner would be able to handle her. Though he didn't doubt the man had been with a woman before, she was not a mere prostitute. She wouldn't have reached the highest class of courtesan by spending all her time on her back. 

Resolving to cross that bridge when he came to it, he slipped in after the pair, ignoring the populated front section. His steps took him directly towards Ayae's room as his hand slid into his cloak for the mission assignment.


End file.
